GREED

President Obama's speech on the economic difference between the upper class and the middle class was interesting; however, if made me wonder how much out of touch with the American citizens Washington DC really is.

I'm almost 64 years old and I started working when I was 14. In those days you took a physical and got a workers permit and ya went to work after school and on weekends. The minimum wage was around $1 or just under $1. Employers cared about employees; maybe we didn't know the company owners but we knew our supervisors/formen and we could talk to them and they helped us out. Companies paid for health care. We didn't have 401Ks or dental insurance, life insurance, all that fancy stuff but we got by.  Then the economy starting booming and companies were taken over by large corporations and we didn't even know our supervisors very well; but, we received more money per hour, more benefits, and life was doing good.

Then somewhere along the line corporations got greedy. "We need more money, give us more money." So, they looked for ways to cut corners and employees looked for ways to get higher wages. The more the wages went up the more employees had to pay out in taxes and high prices for consumer goods. And, who sells the goods? Corporations. Employees and supervisors/formen/managers looked for ways to get ahead (stabbing each other in the back became the norm). Let's see who can get someone fired so that we can take their jobs and make more money. Employees fall on hard times and their production went down, they were out the door; no one bothers to fine out what the problem is; no one tries to help them out. It becomes a dog-eat-dog situation.

Now what's the mantra? Let's see how many jobs we can send overseas to countries where employees have to work long hours for practically nothing. Corporations are well aware of the conditions in the factories that are manufacturing their products. But they lie, "We didn't know but now that you've brought to our attention, we won't do business there anymore."  Baloney, we'll only do it when we're sure you've moved on to another corporation to disclose. Famous, rich folks, with clothing lines, cosmetic lines, athletes with stuff to sell; they all say the same thing; but they know, yeah, they really know what's going on. It's called GREED, say it folks, it isn't a bad word, it's the truth, and the truth hurts sometimes.

Employees get fired or laid off, some get severance pay but most get their last paycheck they earned. CEOs, high-level managers, corporation executives get fired and they get millions from the corporation. They had contracts; we have nothing but their word when they hire us that business is great and we should be OK. Or, if you work for government contractors you get the old line, "we can let you go at anytime, for no reason, and you get nothing."

Now corporations are cutting employee hours so that they are no longer classified as full-time. That lets them stop paying your benefits so they can split that money between the big corporate executives. You get less, they get more--GREED. Government contractors cut your hours but the government has to keep paying corporations for your benefits because it's in the contract--it goes in the corporate pockets--GREED.

I'm not against Americans living the American dream, making money, founding their own companies, furthering the economy; but, the American dream has now gone sour, people are no longer important to the government or these corporations. We are becoming like other countries who have two classes--the poor and the filthy rich.

You're right Mr. President, the middle class is getting the shaft and the middle class are the people who fund this country through their taxes and contributions to charities and candidates. Now, they can no longer afford to do this, so-----how long do you expect this country to continue?  Believe me it's days are numbered. Read Revelations, you won't find America mentioned anywhere.